Health and Beauty - SCENT OF A WOMAN
SCENT OF A WOMAN A TOUCH OF GLAMOUR WITH ARMAND
ARMAND - BEAUTY PRESENTER AND INTERNATIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST
Romance is in the air this month so the pressure is on to be creative with your Valentine’s gift. One of the most popular gift ideas is fragrance and, while buying your partner their favourite scent will always get you brownie points, taking a chance and giving them a new “smelly” can be a recipe for disaster.
Perfumes and aftershaves are a very personal gift and what can smell fantastic on a card or someone else can smell foul on your other half. It's always best to “try before you buy” as different perfumes can affect fragrances in different ways.
Perfumes have come a long way since the Egyptians first anointed themselves with special oils. Guerlain were one of the first major perfume houses with one of their first fragrances, Jicky, still being sold today.
In general there are three different strengths to a perfume: eau de toilette, eau de parfum and parfum, the latter being the strongest and the most expensive. Apply to your pulse points on the wrists, behind your ears and at the back of your knees (especially if you are wearing a skirt because when you walk the fragrance will circulate around you and linger). Another way to fragrance is to spray the perfume up and in front of you then walk into it and let your scent envelope you.
If you struggle with your fragrance longevity then try the layering method. Most companies have a range of body products to complement their perfumes: i.e. bath and shower gel and body lotion.
If you know the fragrance your partner wears (if you don't you're in trouble!) but want to risk buying them something new, then find out what “fragrance family” their perfume belongs to and buy something from the same family. This family is ever expanding, but here are the main groups:
1. Floral (largest section)
2. Citrus (with notes of lemon, grapefruit and bergamot)
3. Fougere (“green” smelling like fern)
4. Chypre (named after Coty's 1917 fragrance, which is powdery yet powerful)
5. Woody (masculine notes including Sandalwood)
6. Oriental (spicy and musky with sensual vanilla overtones)
So if you wear Opium by YSL chances are you'll like Poison by Dior as they both belong to the oriental family.
The composition of a fragrance is usually split into three: “top note”, the initial smell which develops to the “heart note”, and finally – after a couple of hours – the “base note” is revealed, so always wait until the fragrance has fully developed before you purchase.
With all that in mind here are two new fragrances being launched this month to tempt you…
Designer Sonia Rykiel has created a new fragrance to appeal to the little girl within every woman. Belle en Rykiel evokes the memory of fairytales with this playful and carefree yet spirited eau de toilette. The top notes sparkle with the fruit cocktail of lemon, green apple and tangerine, to then reveal a heart note of lavender, rose and lily-of-the-valley. Eventually the sensual base notes are revealed in the form of patchouli, amber and musk.
Lanvin has followed up its 2006 hit fragrance Rumeur with a sexy, fruity, floral sister called Rumeur 2 Rose. Bubbly and bright top notes of orange, lemon and green leaves settle to reveal a fragrant bouquet of heady white rose with sweet damascone fruits before giving way to the woody, musky base notes.
If you have expensive tastes then drop heavy hints for a Clive Christian fragrance; the Imperial Majesty fragrance was a snip at $225,000! You could also pay a visit to a Roja dove fragrance counter situated in selected House of Fraser stores and Harrods. Roja, who knows everything there is to know about perfume, and his team will be able to choose the perfect scent for you after just a short consultation.
Here are a few of my favourite ladies perfumes:
Eau de Soir by Sisley − An elegant and unusual combination of lily-of-the-valley, grapefruit and mandarin.
Organza by Givenchy − I love this sophisticated, yet sensual fragrance; to me it evokes the beauty and mystery of the desert.
L'Interdit by Givenchy − Originally designed exclusively for Audrey Hepburn; hence the name, which means “forbidden”. It was forbidden for anyone to wear this other than the actress herself. This year it celebrates its 51st birthday, so you too could own a little bit of the golden age of Hollywood.
Chanel No. 5 − A classic and still the world's best-selling fragrance. Marilyn Monroe once famously said, when asked what she wore in bed, “two drops of Chanel No. 5".
Black Orchid from Tom Ford − Unashamedly sexy… surprisingly suits both men and women.
Armand can be contacted at: www.armandinternationalltd.com
